FBI seeking to identify victims of sex offender

NEW HAVEN >> The Federal Bureau of Investigation is asking for the public’s help in identifying victims of a man charged with repeated sexual abuse of a minor.

Joseph Caracciolo was charged in New Jersey on Aug. 30 with travelling interstate commerce for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct, specifically a sexual act with a person younger than 18 years of age. A warrant had been issued for his arrest on Aug. 21, on the charge of aggravated sexual assault of a minor younger than 13 years old.

According to an FBI press release, Caracciolo travelled between New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania between May and August 2012 to sexually abuse a girl under 13 years old.

Caracciolo is a registered sex offender, and has been in violation of the sex offender registry requirements since August 2005.

Caracciolo travelled a lot in the early to mid 1990s, and may have lived in Florida and California. From 2003 to 2005 he is believed to have lived in California, and to have travelled to and possibly lived in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Virginia.

Caracciolo has also identified himself as Joseph Crillo, Joseph Grillo, and Tony Gallardo.

He has allegedly described himself as a chef, pediatric dentist, business owner, sales-person, and an electrician’s assistant. He has also claimed to have cancer.

Caracciolo has several tattoos, including a chef in a chef’s hat with the words “Top Chef” on his forearm; a cancer ribbon with boxing gloves on his forearm; the initials AJ on his inner left wrist; ivy on his left finger; the letter M on his inner right wrist; the initials NY on his upper left arm; and an X between the webbing of his thumb and index finger.

Anyone with information is asked to call the FBI’s tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI, visit their local FBI office, or submit electronically at https://tips.fbi.gov.